


Goodbye to Paradise

by untouchablerave



Category: Death in Paradise
Genre: F/M, Family Fluff, Present Tense, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-13 20:54:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29657166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/untouchablerave/pseuds/untouchablerave
Summary: “Are we going to leave Saint Marie?” he asks you gently.After a few seconds, you nod. “I think we are.”
Relationships: Humphrey Goodman/Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter 1

**Part One**

You awake to the sound of the strangled, throaty cries of your daughter. It startles you awake, immediately in panic mode, thinking something must be wrong, but of course, it’s only her letting you know she needs you. In bed next to you, Humphrey stirs, ready to get up like he always does, but you lay a hand on his arm and guide him back down to the bed.

“Let me go,” you tell him softly. Humphrey lays back down, eyes heavy-lidded with sleep. He’s doing too much. He always has done since your daughter was born. Insisted you had done the 'hard bit’, but that didn’t mean he had to do everything else. You told him that over and over again.

You kiss his head affectionately, thinking about everything he has done since the birth, and get up, tiptoeing towards the nursery. You push the door open with a creak and step inside, leaning over the crib. You shouldn’t be surprised; she always wakes you for a feed around this time. You lower your hands and pick your daughter up. She has stopped wailing and instead her cries are replaced with whimpers.

“Hey baby girl,” you coo, bouncing her in your arms. Through the blinds you can see the sun shimmering over the horizon, ready to spill over. As far as your daughter is concerned, your day has just started. She won’t settle back now.

You sit down in the rocking chair next to the crib and pull up the hem of your t-shirt. Your daughter latches to you and you sit back, content in the quiet. You rock a little on the chair, enough to soothe you and her. From outside the door, you hear the kettle boil, realising that Humphrey clearly wasn’t able to roll over and go back to sleep like you had hoped he would. As if summoned, he appears in the doorway, leaning against the frame and looking down on you both lovingly.

“I pumped yesterday,” you whisper. “The bottles are in the fridge next to the Worcester sauce.”

He nods. “Any important files from this morning I’ll leave in the top drawer with a sticky note on saying ‘important’.”

You smile. “The same sticky note you came home wearing because you’d fallen asleep on said files,” you smirk.

“Baby, I’m so tired,” Humphrey faux whines, covering his face with his hands. You both are. Your both have bags under your eyes and you both catnap at every available opportunity but you both couldn’t be happier. This life of chaos is one you have both dreamed of.

You chuckle. “Me too. But we’ve got this,” you say, looking down on your gorgeous daughter.

He nods again, smiling to himself. “I know.”

“I’ll make you lunch for when you come home,” you say.

“Our favourite? Cheese and pickle?”

“Always,” you agree.

*

You spend all morning playing with your daughter and getting a few jobs done around the Shack whilst she naps. You change out of your jogging bottoms and t-shirt into something smarter whilst she lays beneath the mobile which catches her attention, and then start on lunch just as Humphrey walks through the door.

“Hi darling,” you greet him with a kiss. “How did it go?”

“Fine,” says Humphrey, kicking off his shoes and shrugging off his jacket. He hangs it up on the peg beside the door. “JP is holding the fort whilst we swap. Dwayne is out on the beat.”

“Great – anything to report?”

Humphrey takes the plate you hold out to him and walks through the Shack. “Nothing exciting. Most of the files have been taken care of but I need a write-up on yesterday’s case if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all,” you say, taking your own plate and following him.

Humphrey puts the plate down on the desk and picks up your daughter from her place under the mobile. “Hi gorgeous girl,” he fusses, kissing her on her chubby cheeks. “Daddy missed you.”

“Did Daddy miss me?” you grin, cocking an eyebrow and taking a mouthful of sandwich.

“Of course,” he replies, kissing your sandwich-filled cheek too.

You sit down on the bed, digesting and then taking another bite of sandwich. You reach under the bed and pull on your shoes.

“I was looking earlier but I can’t find her stuffed giraffe anywhere,” you say, pulling your laces together.

“Oh, I had it at the station for some reason. Must’ve picked it up by mistake,” he says, pulling his bag around himself one-handedly to look inside. He rummages for a few seconds. “Can’t find it. I know I had it.”

“Don’t worry, I’m sure it will turn up,” you say. You take a final bite of sandwich, grab your bag, and give Humphrey a kiss. “Bye, babe. Love you.”

“Love you.”

“Be good for Daddy,” you tell your daughter in a cutesy voice, nuzzling your nose against hers and kissing her cheek.

“You be good for Daddy too,” Humphrey says to you. You respond by slapping him on the butt. “Easy tiger,” he half-growls. 

“Punish me later,” you quip, placing your plate in the kitchen sink before you leave.

*

You walk into the Honoré police station to find that Dwayne has returned from his time on the beat. He sits at his desk with a highlighter going over some files. JP stands by the printer stapling documents together.

“Good afternoon,” you gloat, puncturing the silence. The novelty of only going in for half days hasn’t worn off yet.

“Afternoon Sarge,” they chorus.

“How’s baby Goodman?” Dwayne asks.

“She’s great, thanks,” you smile. You open the top drawer of Humphrey’s desk as instructed to find your daughter’s stuffed giraffe on top of the files. You take it out and laugh to yourself.

“What is it, Sarge?” JP asks. You hold up the giraffe and JP looks at you confused. “What’s that doing here?” 

“Your guess is as good as mine, JP,” you reply, picking up the phone and dialling your home number.

It rings twice before Humphrey picks up. “Honey, I’m fine,” he says almost immediately. You can hear your daughter in the background protesting otherwise.

“Are you sure?” you ask. “You don’t sound fine.”

“Everything is absolutely under control,” he insists.

“Okay – well, I was just phoning to say that I found the giraffe.”

“You have? At the office?”

“Yep, in your top drawer. On top of the important files,” you reply. “Which I’m sure can only mean one thing.”

A few seconds later, you hear the tell-tale sound of crumpled paper. You assume that Humphrey has just pulled the post-it note designed for the files straight out of his work bag. “Ah yes, well, an easy mistake to make.”

“Absolutely,” you agree. “I’ll bring it home with me later.”

You say your goodbyes and just as you put the phone down, it rings again. You pick it up immediately. “Hello, Honoré police station.”

“Help me, please! My husband is trying to kill me!” A terrorized voice on the other end says. “Please help me!”

“Where are you?” you ask, standing up from your desk. “If you don’t know where you are give us a rough description of your surroundings.”

“I’m running down the road of our rental property. I’m near Honoré Square,” the woman says, out of breath.

“Go to the nearest shop,” you instruct.

A second later the woman says, “I’m in Sara’s Sales.”

“Tell them the police are on their way,” you say, putting the phone down. As your head snaps up Dwayne and JP are poised ready for action. “We gotta go. Honoré Square,” you say, opening the safe next to Humphrey’s desk and taking out three guns and three vests. “Attempted murder. Potential victim on foot.”

“Yes Sarge,” they say, taking a gun and a vest each and pulling them on as you run out the door. Dwayne locks up behind you. You half throw yourself into the jeep, putting the blue lights on and slamming the accelerator to the floor. Within less than half a minute you arrive in the square, jump out of the jeep, and sprint towards Sara’s Sales. You push the door open and say loudly, “Police!”

The sales assistants cower behind the desk, and a woman dressed in plain clothes raises her head. “Which way did you come from?” you ask.

“From the top of the hill. Number 48.”

You don’t reply, but duck out of the shop and see Dwayne and JP arrive on the motorcycle. They see you and jump out, guns at the ready.

“Number 48 – go!” you say, pointing up the hill. The three of you sprint, not dropping your poise with your guns once. As you approach number 48, you expect to see the husband in question on your way, but you don’t see anyone. Eventually, you get to the house and still see no signs of the woman’s husband.

“JP, round the back. Dwayne, wait out front in case he jumps out of a window. I’ll go in through the front door,” you say to them in hushed whispers. You make your way to the front door, hover for a second so that JP can get around the back of the house, and then thud your first against the door.

“Police! Open up!” you bellow. You wait for a few seconds before stepping back and kicking the door down in one fell swoop. You step over the threshold, keeping your gun in your arms outstretched. As you move through the house into the living room, you notice a foot. Someone was laying down. You step closer, a man, the husband you assume, laying there in a pool of blood by his head. You look for a weapon nearby in case he is faking but see nothing. You lean over him, checking for a pulse to find it’s not there.


	2. Chapter 2

**Part Two**

Having retrieved the woman from Sara’s Sales, taken her back to the property to identify the body, and secured the crime scene, you head home. It feels strange to be driving the jeep without going over the speed limit and without the blue lights on. Your heart cannot come down from the adrenalin rush you’ve been put through. You try to slow down as much as possible. You look over to the passenger seat where you put your bag and see your daughter’s stuffed giraffe poking out of it. You smile to yourself, filling your head with the sounds of her giggle and Humphrey’s smile.

You park up outside the Shack and head around the back to the veranda. The sun is starting to go down now, and you pause on the wooden steps to admire it. Just then, you hear Humphrey’s footsteps approach, and he wraps his strong arms around you.

“I didn’t hear you come in,” he whispers, kissing you behind your ear.

“I was just admiring the view.”

Humphrey’s hands travel down to your sides, pressing you into him. “So am I. Your arse looks amazing in those jeans.”

“Is this payback for earlier?” you laugh, as he kisses his way down your neck.

“Let’s make another baby,” he whispers in your ear hungrily.

“Steady on, let’s get this one out of nappies first,” you grin, turning in his embrace and kissing him fervently. “We should have dinner. Then you can romance me.”

“It’s in the oven,” he says against your lips. “Shepherd’s pie. My specialty.”

“Christ you really do want another baby don’t you,” you counter.

“I just missed you that’s all,” says Humphrey, cupping your face and kissing you adoringly.

“How’s she been?” you ask.

“Great,” says Humphrey, leading you inside. “Even better now you’ve found her giraffe.”

You take the stuffed toy out of your bag and wiggle it above your daughter, who is laying nearby in a Moses basket. She gurgles and giggles and you pick her up for a cuddle, holding her against your chest.

“How was your day?” Humphrey asks you, heading to the kitchen to check on the Shepherd’s pie.

“Eventful to say the least. We had to get the guns and vests out.”

Humphrey’s head snaps up. “Are you serious? Why do you get all the exciting stuff?”

You laugh, bouncing your daughter to soothe her. “Trust me, you do not want to be filling out the paperwork afterwards. It will be less than exciting,” you tell him. “Let’s not talk about work. Dwayne and JP can catch you up tomorrow. Let’s just relax tonight.”

“Okay, but maybe you should go in tomorrow morning and get the ball rolling on this new case. I’ll go in during the afternoon and finish up,” says Humphrey, beginning to get plates out of the cupboard.

“That sounds like a good idea,” you agree. “Look at us – working parents, juggling work and home life like a pair of bosses.”

Just then, the plates crash to the floor, and Humphrey looks at you sheepishly. You can’t help but laugh, and thankfully your baby daughter doesn’t cry out at the noise. “Evidently juggling plates too although it seems I’m not very good at it,” quips Humphrey.

*

The next morning, you leave Humphrey in bed with your baby daughter as your head to the station. You unlock the doors and step inside, picking up exactly where you left off the day before, looking through the statements Dwayne and JP took yesterday and putting up the photos on the whiteboard. It feels wrong doing this without Humphrey, but with one of you always at home, and one of you always at work, you have to share the acting DI role now.

You say hello to Dwayne and JP as they arrive, and then get set on reviewing the facts of the case. “So, Mrs. Foster gets into an argument with her husband at their rental property and says they were arguing about what they had planned for their day on the island – seems fishy to me – when he, according to her, flips out and starts threatening to kill her.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” pipes up JP. “No one is that quick to anger, surely.”

“Quite right. Although we should find out if he had a history of abuse,” you agree. “Nevertheless, Mrs. Foster leaves the property with her mobile phone, calls us, and runs away.”

“At any point did she say that her husband was going after her?” Dwayne asks.

“Not that I can recall, but we can check the phone recording. So, in theory, he did stay behind in the property,” you reply. “But in the five minutes or so it took for us to take the call, get out of the station, get to Honoré square, find Mrs. Foster in Sara’s Sales and then get up to number 48… someone came in and killed Mr. Foster.”

“Unless Mrs. Foster killed her husband and then ran out claiming he was trying to kill her as a cover.”

“She would be better off staying with the body and claiming self-defense,” you say. “That way one dead body is accounted for. This way, it just throws a whole load of questions in her direction. Not smart.”

“Very true, Sarge,” agrees JP. “But in the heat of panic at having just killed her husband, would she have been able to think rationally?”

“Perhaps not,” you say. “I think we need to talk to Mrs. Foster again. There’s a lot about this case that doesn’t make sense.”

*

You and JP find Mrs. Foster sitting on a sun lounger on the beach outside the Bay Cove Hotel. From afar she looks every part the grieving widow. You and JP walk towards her, trying to approach her gently, even if you know she is hiding something.

“Mrs. Foster,” you say with a weak smile. “I hope you don’t mind but we have a few follow-up questions we’d like to ask you.”

Mrs. Foster gestures you to sit on the lounger next to her. Both you and JP take a seat, facing her.

“Can you tell us what you and your husband were arguing about before he began threatening you?” you ask.

“He didn’t want to go to the beach that day,” she replies. “He said that we’d gone to the beach the day before and that he wanted to do something else.”

“And that’s what made him so angry?” JP asks. “Seems like quite a petty reason to me.”

“He was like that,” Mrs. Foster nods. “I wasn’t surprised when he acted that way but then all of a sudden, he just blew up.”

“And that’s when he started threatening to kill you?” you ask. Mrs. Foster nods again. “Did you ever think about fighting back when he got like that?”

“No,” says Mrs. Foster. “No. I don’t like seeing him like that so I try and do all I can to placate him.”

“Is there anyone you know in Saint Marie? Old friends, family, or even acquaintances,” you ask. Mrs Foster shakes her head again. You nod, getting up from the sun lounger. “Thank you for your time, Mrs. Foster. We may have some more questions for you over the next couple of days. I hope that’s alright.”

“Of course,” nods Mrs. Foster.

You and JP walk back along the beach and towards the jeep. “I think you and Dwayne need to get your plain clothes on. We’re going to need eyes on her.”

“Do you think she did it, Sarge?” asks JP.

“No,” you shake your head, looking back at Mrs. Foster who is still gazing out onto the ocean. “No but she’s hiding something, and we’re going to find out what.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Part Three**

You jump out of the jeep and step onto the veranda, walking around the back of the Shack. Humphrey stands on the beach, leaning against the veranda, enjoying the feeling of the sun on his face. You lean over the railing and wrap your arms around his chest. He relaxes into you as you kiss his head, then his neck, then his shoulder.

“Mmm,” you coo against his skin. “Let’s make a baby,” you whisper in his ear, making him laugh.

He turns in your embrace and looks up at you. You lovingly push the hair from his eyes and cup his face, giving him and deep and romantic kiss.

“We can’t, I have to go to work,” he sighs.

You play with the end of his tie. “Not even for ten minutes,” you say coyly.

“If I recall it was ten minutes that made us parents to begin with,” smirks Humphrey, stepping up onto the veranda. “Speaking of, she’s down for a nap and your sandwich is in the fridge.”

“Where’s yours?”

“I ate it already,” Humphrey shrugs. “Hungry work being a Dad. Any news on the case?”

“I’ve got Dwayne on undercover work this afternoon keeping an eye on Mrs. Foster. I’ve typed up the follow-up questioning me and JP did this morning. It’s on your desk. I’m convinced she’s hiding something but don’t know what,” you tell him, taking the baby monitor from him.

“We’ll figure it out. We always do,” he tells you simply. “Best get going then,” he says, kissing you again.

“I don’t like this,” you tell him.

“I brushed my teeth this morning, I promise.”

“No,” you laugh. “This. You leaving. Me leaving. I feel like we’re ships that pass in the night.”

“I know, I don’t like it either,” agrees Humphrey. “But this was our deal, considering your aversion to maternity leave.”

“I don’t have an aversion to maternity leave…” you reply. “I just like working, that’s all.”

“Let’s talk about this properly later,” says Humphrey softly. “I agree that this isn’t working, and I want us to reach a conclusion that works for us both.”

“Okay,” you nod. You kiss again and hand him the keys to the jeep. You watch him walk away, wishing wholeheartedly that you could pick the Shack up and go with him.

*

You and Humphrey lay in bed, listening to the gentle breathing of your daughter through the baby monitor.

“You’re right,” you say, turning to him. “This whole back and forth is just disruptive. I feel like I just sit around all day and wait for you to come home and then I have to come home halfway through the workday which interrupts the flow of a case.”

“I know,” agrees Humphrey. “I feel the same. I wanted to follow up on who Mrs. Foster was talking to this afternoon when Dwayne saw her at the laundrette, but I was bogged under with the latest intel on the pickpocket at the harbour that I didn’t get around to it.”

“The station is working with a person down,” you say. “There’s usually an extra one of us taking on the work.”

“You’re right. We’re going to have to come up with some other arrangement,” says Humphrey. The two of you lay there for a few seconds before realising that actually, you have no idea what that other arrangement might be.

You snuggle further into his arms, letting the feeling of serenity lying in his embrace wash over you. Your eyelids flutter closed, thinking that perhaps after you sleep for a bit, you’ll have an idea. Just as you’re about to drift off your eyes snap open and you sit up on your elbows.

“What is it?” Humphrey asks.

“I’ve got it,” you say with a grin. “And you’re going to look great.”

“I don’t like the sound of that,” says Humphrey.

*

You step into the station the next morning to find Dwayne and JP already there.

“Morning Sarge,” says Dwayne. “We were expecting the Chief this morning?”

“He’s here too,” you grin. Humphrey appears next to you wearing a baby carrier on his chest. Your daughter is snuggled up and comfy, nestled next to her father, sound asleep. “Behold, working parents do work – as parents,” you say.

“Looks good on your Chief,” grins JP, as Humphrey struts through the station.

“I’m calling it Dad Chic,” laughs Humphrey, sitting down at his desk so as not to wake your daughter.

“And we managed to question Mrs. Foster before we even got to the station this morning,” you say, stepping over the threshold. “She says the person she was talking to yesterday was someone she met on the beach when her and her husband first arrived on the island.”

“So, she just made a random friend on the beach?” asks JP with a cocked eyebrow.

“Apparently so.”

“Did she give his name or a description?” Dwayne asks.

“His name is apparently Harry Evans. Slim build, mid-thirties, wears black-rimmed glasses,” you say, looking down at your notebook.

“And what’s he doing on the island?” asks JP.

“On holiday. Apparently.” Just then, your daughter wakes from her nap and begins to grizzle. “I’ve got her,” you tell Humphrey, taking her out of the baby carrier and placing her on your chest. “She needs changing, I think.”

“I’m going to start questioning the neighbours,” says JP. “Just to see if they can corroborate Mrs. Foster’s story and also see if they heard anything else.”

“Great work, JP,” you say, as you bounce your daughter soothingly.

Dwayne looks at Humphrey with a cheeky glint in his eye. “You can take that off now, Chief,” he says, nodding to the baby carrier.

“I quite like it actually,” Humphrey replies sheepishly.

*

Back at the Shack, you and Humphrey sit at the table and chairs on the veranda with a laptop open in front of you. Your baby daughter grizzles in your arms as she pleads to be put to bed, but your try to placate her.

“I know baby girl, I know,” you coo, bouncing her in your arms.

Then, the dialling sound of a video call turns your attention to the laptop. Humphrey uses the mouse mat to accept and then adjusts the screen so that his parents can see you all.

“Humphrey!” Martin cries. “And family! How are you?”

He has become significantly jollier, according to Humphrey since you two got together.

“We’re good thanks, Dad. How are you? Where’s Mum?”

“I’m coming!” a voice calls from off-camera. Humphrey’s Mum, Gladys, comes to sit down next to her husband. “Sorry, I was putting on my dressing gown.”

“Yes, we’re sorry to have to call you so late. The time difference is quite annoying isn’t it?” you say.

“Four hours doesn’t sound like a lot,” says Martin. “But don’t worry, we’re used to calling Humphrey in the middle of the night.”

“How’s our granddaughter?” Gladys asks.

“She’s great,” you say, angling your daughter towards the camera so her grandparents can see.

“When will you be coming back to England?” asks Martin. “We’d love for you to come and stay with us.”

You and Humphrey look at each other. “Soon,” he says. “I’m sure we can talk to the Commissioner.”

You look down at your daughter. Her face contorting into a smile. “Look,” you say, angling her again towards the camera. “Look, she’s smiling!”

“Oh, let’s see,” says Gladys. “Oh, I can’t, the picture has gone all fuzzy.”

A second later the picture freezes, then the call drops out altogether. For a few seconds, you both sit there in silence, staring at the blank screen. You sigh. “I’ll go and put her to bed,” you say to Humphrey. “She’ll start screaming the place down if I don’t.”

You look at Humphrey who is still staring at the screen, seemingly quite bereft. “Okay,” he nods, his voice barely a whisper.

You kiss the side of his head. “I’m sorry,” you say to him, gently. You get up and walk through the Shack to the nursery, placing your daughter in her crib. You think about Martin and Gladys being on the other end of the laptop, wanting so desperately to see their granddaughter, and the thought brings tears to your eyes.


	4. Chapter 4

**Part Four**

You type with one hand, cradling your daughter in the other, but at least you, Humphrey and Dwayne are making good headway on clearing the backlog of work at the station. You and Humphrey take it in turns to hold your baby daughter so neither of you ends up with dead arms.

Humphrey gets up to make some more tea, taking your mug and shuffling into the kitchen. You lay your daughter down in her car seat, as she is completely out for the count, and follow him. He flicks the kettle on and allows the sound of it boiling to fill the room. Humphrey grips the sideboard, hanging his head. You’ve never really seen him like this before. Sure, he’s found cases difficult, and you’ve seen him deflated with tiredness, but this situation is personal. You find the sight of him clearly battling with something very emotional. You inhale deeply. This isn’t about you; this is about him. 

You step into the kitchen and decide to take this as an opportunity to speak privately with him. He sees you, turns to you and you snake your arms around his neck, pulling him into your embrace, gently caressing where his hairline meets the nape of his neck. You press your lips to his collar. He wraps his arms around your waist and rests them on your coccyx. 

“Are you okay?” you ask him, gently.

“Yeah,” he replies, but he’s actually saying, _‘not really’_.

“I know you’re finding things difficult. It’s okay to miss home,” you tell him. “I do too sometimes.”

“I know.”

You pull away, resting your forehead on his. “I miss my parents, and I miss your parents too, even though I’ve never met them. It kills me that they can’t hold their granddaughter.” Humphrey doesn’t say anything, and you know from the way that he gulps that he’s composing himself. “But… I love Saint Marie. Our life is here. I understand what you’re wrestling with. I want both of those things equally.”

“Someday we’re going to have to choose, love,” he replies, a slight quiver in his voice.

“I know. But that day doesn’t have to be today.”

Humphrey nods and kisses you, returning to your loving embrace once more. The kettle finishes boiling.

You part, leaving him to it, to check on your daughter. She is still sleeping soundly. You look over to Dwayne whose head is resting on his fist. It turns out he is sleeping soundly too. JP walks into the station, striding with purpose. He holds up his notebook to you.

“What’s going on?” you ask.

“You know I went to talk to Mrs Foster’s neighbours yesterday? Well, there was one house that I tried but no one was in. I went back today to speak to the lady that lives there and guess what she told me? She said that she saw Mrs Foster talking to a man the day before her husband tried to kill her,” says JP.

“And what was his description?” you ask.

“Slim build, mid-thirties, wearing black-rimmed glasses,” smirks JP.

Humphrey appears next to you holding two cups of tea. “Did you just say black-rimmed glasses?”

“Yes, I did, sir,” replies JP.

“We better take this tea to go, Humphrey,” you say. You lean over and shake Dwayne awake.

He snorts and shakes his head. “Huh? What is it?”

“You’re on baby watch,” you tell him.

“I’m on _what_?”

“We won’t be long,” says Humphrey, carefully pouring his tea from a mug into a nearby travel mug.

You do the same. “She won’t wake up for another…” you check your watch. “Twenty minutes.”

“Twenty minutes?!” cries Dwayne as the two of you rush out the door.

“Bye!” you call over your shoulder, hurrying down the steps to the jeep.

*

You walk up the steps of the Bay Cove Hotel and into the lobby, approaching the front desk and waiting until the receptionist has finished on the phone. 

“We need to speak with one of your residents. Mrs. Foster,” says Humphrey, taking off his sunglasses.

“What is it regarding?”

You and Humphrey look at each other, then flash your police badges.

“We have the jurisdiction,” you add coolly.

The receptionist nods and calls up to Mrs. Foster’s room. You wait for her to let Mrs. Foster know but after a few seconds, she replaces the receiver. “No answer,” she says.

“Let’s try the bar,” you say to Humphrey, nodding in its direction.

“Thanks,” Humphrey says to the receptionist, as you both turn on your heels.

The bar isn’t very busy for mid-morning but there sat at the bar, is Mrs. Foster, drinking from a colourful cocktail. And she has company.

“Mrs. Foster,” Humphrey says, approaching her.

She turns on her bar stool, as does the person she is sitting with. “And Harry Evans, we assume?” you add.

Harry gulps.

“Yes, DI Goodman?” Mrs. Foster says, trying to keep her composure.

“You’re both inside? On a lovely day like today?” says Humphrey, his voice dripping with accusation.

“We were just talking,” says Harry.

“What about?” you ask, folding your arms.

Mrs. Foster and Harry Evans say nothing. “Maybe we could join you?” asks Humphrey, sitting down on the barstool next to Mrs. Foster. You do the same next to Harry Evans. “And we can discuss why you two were arguing outside your house the day your husband was killed, Mrs. Foster.”

Harry rises in his seat, but you place a hand on his shoulder and force him back down. “Sit,” you tell him firmly.

“Tell them Harry, or I will,” says Mrs. Foster. “I know we were meant to be a secret, but this isn’t fair. He’s dead. We can tell the truth.” Harry says nothing. Mrs. Foster turns to Humphrey. “We were having an affair,” she says, simply. “We came to Saint Marie for a holiday and then Harry turned up, threatening to tell my husband everything.”

“And that’s what you were arguing about the morning your husband died?” you half-ask, knowing the answer already.

“He was furious, quite rightly,” nodded Mrs. Foster. “But Harry and I wanted to be together. I wanted to wait until we got home. I was so angry at Harry for following us out here, but I suppose it was better not to lead my husband on any longer.”

“And where were you the morning of the murder, Mr Evans?” you ask. You can see the sweat forming on Harry’s brow, but before he can form an answer, he dashes off his stool and bolts for the door. “I’ll get him!” you holler at Humphrey, sprinting behind Harry.

You follow him out of the hotel and down towards the beach. You have never sprinted so fast in your life, definitely not since you gave birth, and although your body protests, your adrenalin takes over. You are slowly closing the gap between you. Harry runs up onto the boardwalk by the harbour and tries to dart through people going about their day. “MOVE! POLICE!” You bellow to them. You make a split decision and take a chance, running up onto the bank, having to sprint at an angle, trying to get closer to him. Eventually, you approach the now or never moment and jump onto him, pulling him to the ground and rolling over him. As you roll, you grab his hand and twist it around his back to immobilize him. “Harry Evans, you’re under arrest,” you say, without missing a beat. You take out your handcuffs and cuff him, beginning to make the walk back to the hotel with the suspect in tow.

*

You close the door of the jeep and walk the suspect up towards the station. Humphrey comes around the other side of Harry and takes him by the elbow. He knows to not bother running, not after what happened today. He has the stance and demeanour of a man who is fully resigned to his fate. As you get to the top of the steps, you can hear music. You look to Humphrey who eyes you suspiciously.

“Do Dwayne and JP have the radio on?” he asks.

You step inside and find Dwayne and JP dancing around the station singing _Tiny Whiney, wind your bum bum_ to your daughter. She giggles manically. You can’t help but burst out laughing as does Humphrey. Harry looks to you. “What’s the bloody hell kind of police station is this?” he asks. It’s the first thing he’s said since you arrested him.

Humphrey pushes Harry forward towards the cells, as you take your daughter from Dwayne’s arms. “Are Uncle Dwayne and Uncle JP making you laugh?” you say in a baby voice. Your daughter continues to giggle.

“We are the best Uncle’s ever!” JP says, giving Dwayne a high five. “Isn’t that right?” he coos at her.

“Great, so which one of you is going to watch her tonight whilst me and Humphrey go out on a date?” you ask.


	5. Chapter 5

**Part Five**

With JP and Rosey looking after your daughter for the evening, you and Humphrey are free to go on your first post-partum date and, as promised, you are footing the bill. You go to Catherine’s where she serves up an amazing paella for you to eat and two rum punches, although yours is virgin thanks to the fact you’re breastfeeding. Once you two have finished, you both nurse your drinks whilst looking out to the sea, admiring the lights in the harbour.

“What a whirlwind,” Humphrey laughs, looking down at his glass. “I can’t believe you managed to apprehend Harry Evans on foot, without backup, and arrested him… actually I can believe it because you’re bloody amazing.”

You reach out and take Humphrey’s hand, brushing your thumbs against his knuckles. “Normally I would try and be coy but to be honest, it felt pretty badass.”

Both you and Humphrey laugh. He looks so handsome in his shirt. You look him up and down, and when your eyes lock it seems he is doing the same to you. You both look away shyly, remembering what it was like when you used to do this over the desks at work. The spark between you hasn’t died, not even after giving birth, not even with the uncertainty of your time on the island hanging between you. As usual, Humphrey can read your thoughts.

“Listen, I know we’ve been focused on the case, but I have thought about what you said in the kitchen. I really don’t want to take anything away from you, or make any kind of rash decision…”

You squeeze Humphrey’s hand. “Look, we have been partners since day one, in every sense of the word. We have been _ride or die_ together, then and now. I think it’s very clear that whatever we decided we’re going to do it together, no matter what.”

Humphrey nods. “Agreed. What are you feeling right now?” he asks. “I feel like I’m so wrapped up in the sadness of not having our parents in our daughter’s life and the guilt I feel about it because of the amazing life we have here. What’s your perspective?”

You clear your throat. “Well, I think that from here on out life is only going to get more complicated for us. I don’t like thinking about it but eventually, our work will have to take a backseat, especially if we want to have a good balance between our jobs and the kind of family life we both want. And if we do have more kids, if we’re lucky enough to have more, then we will outgrow the Shack, much as I hate to say it.”

“You want more kids with me?” asks Humphrey, gently.

“Of course, I do. I want a family with you. I want a life with you,” you reply earnestly.

“Are we going to leave Saint Marie?” he asks you gently.

After a few seconds, you nod. “I think we are.”

“Then…” Humphrey trails off, looking at you deep in your eyes. “We should do one last thing before we leave the island for good.”

“Okay,” you nod in agreement. “What did you have in mind?”

“Marry me,” he says breathily.

You inch your head closer thinking you had misheard him. “What?”

“Marry me,” he says again. “Here on Saint Marie in front of all our friends.”

Your hands fly up to cover your shocked mouth. “Are you sure? I mean, you want to marry me?”

“Of course, I want to marry you,” he half-laughs. “That is if you want to marry me?”

“Are you kidding me?” you ask, getting up from your chair. “Yes. YES!” you almost scream. “I want to marry you.”

Humphrey gets up from his chair too and you both crash into each other, wrapping your arms around each other. He lifts you up and spins you around. You cry out with joyful glee in your heart.

He sets you down and then his face falls. “Oh god, I don’t have a ring,” he says, feeling his pockets.

You grab his hands. “I don’t need a ring,” you tell him. “I just want you.”

“You’ve got me forever,” he tells you sincerely, then gets down on one knee. “You are the love of my life, the mother of my child and the best thing that has ever happened to me. Will you marry me?”

“Yes,” you say, the tears spilling over your cheeks. “Yes, Humphrey Goodman, I will.”

*

The phone call to the Commissioner was bittersweet. But of course, he understood, agreeing that this call was due to happen someday, especially now you both had a child to think about. He said he would start recruiting immediately, making sure a proper handover was executed and giving you time to make arrangements in London. Now all you had to do was tell everyone else…

At the station, you and Humphrey look awkwardly at each other from behind your desks.

“We should tell them,” you mouth, nodding to Dwayne and JP who are working quietly at their desks.

Humphrey looks over to them, like a pair of lost puppies and sighs, his hands gently caressing your daughter in the baby carrier strapped to his chest. “Guys stop working for a minute,” he says, getting up from behind the desk. “There’s something we need to tell you.”

Dwayne drops his pen. “Are you two having another baby?” he asks.

“No,” Humphrey laughs. “No, we’re not having another baby. Not yet anyway.”

“Are you guys breaking up?” JP asks.

“No, JP,” you reply, standing up next to Humphrey. “But we do have some bad news… and some good news too.”

“Which do you want first?” Humphrey asks.

“Bad,” says Dwayne, at exactly the same time that JP says “Good.” Both men look at each other and laugh.

“Well, let me give you the good news first. The good news is… we’re getting married,” says Humphrey smiling.

Dwayne and JP’s mouths drop open.

“Married? About time Chief,” says Dwayne.

“Let’s see the ring?” asks JP, getting up and walking over to you.

“No ring, I’m afraid,” Humphrey confesses. “It was all rather spontaneous, really.”

Dwayne’s face falls to a deadpan. “Spontaneous? Really, Chief? So, you can have a baby but the proposal was unplanned.”

“Well so was the pregnancy come to think of it. Unplanned seems to be my middle name,” muses Humphrey.

“Anyway, that does mean we have some bad news,” you say tentatively. “After we get married, we’re going to be leaving the island.”

“You’re going home to London?” asks JP.

You nod. “It’s not what either of us wanted, not really, but it’s the right thing to do.”

“We wish we could stay but we want to spend more time with our baby and hopefully have more children in the future,” explains Humphrey. “This job is full-on, and as much as we love it, it’s time for us to step back.”

You notice Dwayne’s eyes have glazed over. “If you have a boy will you call it Dwayne?!” he asks.

“Come on, Dwayne,” JP scoffs. “Surely Jean-Pierre is a better name. You can even shorten it to JP.”

“Actually guys, I did try,” you shrug. “He’s a traditional one, this one,” you say, pointing to Humphrey.

“Hey, did you guys say you were getting married?!” asks Dwayne, as if coming back to reality. “Dibs best man!”

“No, dibs don’t work in this situation, Dwayne,” scoffs JP again. “The Chief has to choose his best man which is obviously going to be me – right Chief?”

“I… err…” Humphrey flusters.

“Tell you what, let’s go to Catherine’s and argue about it over some rum. We’re buying,” you say, grabbing your bag.

And as the four of you drowned your sorrows, and celebrated in equal measure at Catherine’s that night, it was only right to let her in on your plans, even if it meant that she wouldn’t let you pay for your drinks that night or any night after that.

*

The sun is setting on the beach as you walk down the makeshift aisle lined with rose petals towards your soon-to-be husband. Behind you, Catherine holds your white dress to stop it from getting sandy. You are barefoot, letting the soft feel of the sand sift between your toes. Before you, Humphrey watches as you walk towards him. He is choked up, trying to keep his composure, but Dwayne placing a hand on his shoulder makes him dissolve into tears. You start feeling yourself well up. He looks so handsome standing there in his suit and tie. Next to Dwayne is JP who holds a small velvet pillow with your rings on. You approach Rosey, who is holding your daughter as if she were her own and kiss your daughter’s head. You give Catherine your flowers and take Humphrey’s hands, standing between Commissioner Selwyn Patterson who is officiating.

“You look amazing,” Humphrey says to you quietly. You wink at him in response.

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the union between these two people,” he says, gesturing to you both. “I have seen your partnership blossom, first as friends, then as best friends, then as partners in life. I knew from the moment I saw you both together that you had a relationship like no other, one that had strong foundations and was grounded in integrity. I had no doubt that your union would be for life, and it is my pleasure that I get to stand before you both today and join you together forever.”

You and Humphrey gaze into each other’s eyes and smile.

“Would you like to begin with your vows?” asks the Commissioner.

“You go first,” Humphrey nods.

You clear your throat and compose yourself. “Humphrey, you are the most amazing partner, the most wonderful father and the best DI I’ve ever worked with. How I deserve you, I’ll never know, but I won’t question it. I’ll just thank whatever guiding force has brought you into my life. When I came to Saint Marie, I never expected this. I was running away from difficult things in my life and I wanted an escape. What I didn’t bank on was that meeting you allowed me to feel like I was coming home. You are my paradise,” you say, holding back the tears.

Humphrey drops your hand to wipe his eyes for a moment, then takes your grasp again. “All my life people have pitied me,” he says softly. “People have underestimated me and looked down on me. But that all changed when I met you. You never pitied me, not once. You held me up and drew a strength out of me that people had squashed for years. You always expected the best of me, and I can’t tell you how much that has strengthened me. I never felt deserving of your love, but I’ve learnt that we don’t choose who loves us, all we can do is show them what they mean to us and if it’s enough then…” Humphrey trails off, hanging his head. You squeeze his hand encouragingly. “You choosing me has been the greatest honour of my life, and having a life with you, being the father of your child, and now your husband… I can’t believe my luck.”

Selwyn gestures for JP to lean over with the cushion. You pick up Humphrey’s ring and position it by the tip of his finger. “With this ring, I thee wed,” you say, sliding it down his slender finger to fit snugly. He does the same to you. “With this ring, I thee wed,” he says. The metal of the ring is cool against your finger and you look forward to the day you don’t notice it anymore.

“It is my great honour and privilege to pronounce you married,” Selwyn says. “You may now kiss.”

Humphrey caresses your face and kisses you ardently. The others standing around you break out into applause. As you break away, you and Humphrey lean your foreheads against each other, savouring the moment. You turn to Rosey who holds out your daughter to you. You take her into your arms, kissing her forehead. Humphrey does the same, stroking the top of her head with his palm.

*

You hold out the keys to the jeep between your thumb and forefinger and drop them into JP’s waiting hand. The tears won’t stop. They started the moment you wheeled your suitcases out of the Shack for the last time and you’re sure they won’t stop, not even when you touch down in England. Humphrey can’t contain himself either. JP wraps his arms around you in a hug. You hug him like it’s the last time although you hope it isn’t.

“Look after Dwayne won’t you,” you tell him. “Make sure you feed Harry before the next DI comes.”

“I will,” JP laughs.

You step back and hug Dwayne. “We’ll call when we land,” you say. “Thanks for sending our stuff on.”

“I’m going to the post office right after we say goodbye,” he replies.

“Can we get one last hug?” JP asks, nodding to your daughter in her car seat.

“Of course,” says Humphrey, getting her out and handing her to JP. Dwayne coos at her from over JP’s shoulder.

A car door closes nearby and you both turn to see Catherine and the Commissioner walking towards you both. You run into Catherine’s outstretched arms, thinking of the moment you’ll be able to do this with your own mother.

“Thank you for coming,” you sob.

“I wouldn’t miss saying goodbye to you,” Catherine replies.

“Neither would I,” Selwyn says, shaking Humphrey’s hand.

You switch. Catherine wraps her arms around Humphrey, and you can’t help but do the same to Selwyn. He is taken aback slightly but returns your hug.

“You two will be sorely missed,” Selwyn says. “You are by far the strongest team I have ever had the pleasure of hosting at Honoré police station. I hope to see you both again soon.”

The two of you say your final goodbyes before picking up your suitcases and car seat with your daughter safely strapped inside. You look to each other, tears streaming down your faces, then take one last look behind you before ascending the stairs to the airport. Behind you, Selwyn, Catherine, JP, and Dwayne all wave you off. And just like that, you’re gone.

*

“Fly fourteen hours with a new-born, they said. It’ll be fine, they said,” says Humphrey as you both step out onto the tarmac outside Heathrow.

“What’s that?” you ask, sticking a finger in your ear and wiggling it around. “I think I’ve gone deaf.”

“You and me both, darling. I’m surprised she didn’t puncture a lung the amount she screamed.”

“Still, we made it,” you sigh. “Back to London.” You look up at the sky. It’s covered in dark clouds and you shiver at the wind that is whipping at your jacket.

“Right, Mum and Dad said they would be waiting for us in car park G when we landed. We should probably head over there,” says Humphrey, grabbing the handle of his suitcase again and making to leave. He turns around and looks at you, still looking up at the sky. “What is it?” he asks.

Before you can answer, a few spots of wetness patter down onto your face. You let go of your suitcase and put down your daughter’s car seat. A split second later, the droplets increase. “Humphrey, look,” you say, breathing heavily with excitement. “Humphrey, it’s raining.”

Humphrey laughs as the heavens open. He drops the handle to his suitcase and wraps his arms around you. There you are, you and your husband, having safely landed home in London after having the adventure of a lifetime, coming home with your baby girl, and both of you dancing in the rain.


End file.
